DCNR volunteer John Chos operates a Bessemer gas engine at the Muddy Creek Oil Field in Moraine State Park in 2019. The restored oil field operated from the late 1800s to the 1960s. Volunteers will give tours Saturday, Oct. 8, the last day of the season. Butler Eagle file photo

About once a month through the summer, volunteers at the Muddy Creek Oil Field will demonstrate the 1890s engine that pumped around 17 oil wells in a quarter-mile radius.

Even though the exhibit now just provides a demonstration that circulates oil instead of pumping it, the machine still takes several people to operate, and two sets of hands to even start the engine.

“It takes one person on the fly wheel; it takes another person operating our variable frequency drive and manipulating valves,” said Joy Bray, who has volunteered at the oil exhibit for about 10 years. “It took some engineering, it took a lot of effort to get oil out of the ground, and it wasn't necessarily clean and pretty.”

The Moraine, McConnells Mill and Jennings Commission is the nonprofit group that schedules the living history demonstrations throughout the summer, and organizes volunteers to host tours on its open dates.

Saturday will be the final day the oil field will be open for tours, which will take place from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Zane Barger, president of 3MJC, said the exhibit is “experiencing significant engine issues,” and the engine likely won’t be operable Saturday. But it will still be an opportunity for people to learn about how the pump works and a little of its history.

“We can still give a tour and explanation and show videos, but it won’t be the full experience,” Barger said.

Bray said the people tasked with sealing Well #19 on the Marshall-Barr site in the mid-1900s left it with the potential to open back up as a history exhibit. A group of volunteers assembled in 1995 to turn the well into a living history exhibit, and by 2000 it was open for tours and demonstrations.

Several years later, Bray would develop an interest in oil history and become a volunteer at the exhibit.

“People don't realize that from about 1900 to 1920, Butler was the oil capital of the world,” she said. “What I want (visitors) to go away from the exhibit with is oil is an important part of the history of Moraine and Butler County.”

Bray said it takes about 30 to 45 minutes to enjoy the whole exhibit on a tour. The length depends on the tour guide and the interest of the visitors, but people are welcome to walk around for as long as they want while the exhibit is open.

She also said the site often gets visitors with a particular interest in industrial history or people who have an engineering background, who may be the longest-lasting tourists.

“There is always someone who is there for a couple hours, because they are looking from a different point of view or they have a background,” Bray said.

Zane said 3MJC will be seeking volunteers for next summer’s season, and the organization also is looking for people who can aid in the refurbishment of the exhibit’s engine.

Bray said she would like to see people join the group who have engineering or construction skills.

“Anyone who has any skills with welding, or even figuring out what we have to better use it and interpret it to the public, we could use them,” Bray said. “We need people who have ideas and want to solve problems.”